Domestic connecting cancelled on Christmas day. Options?
Nov 21, 2021, 4:02 am
#1
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Domestic connecting cancelled on Christmas day. Options?
I had a ticket booked through Cathay pacific miles on BA metal USA>LHR>NCL. BA have cancelled all flights to NCL on Christmas day leaving me stranded in LHR for 24hrs. It goes without saying that I need to make it back home for Christmas day with the family so can't stay in London for Christmas day. I am unable to leave a day earlier from USA as going there for an event which finishes 24th.
What are my options with BA? There are no trains, car hire is ridiculous rates!
My only option is to drive down to LHR and leave my car but that will end up costing me £200 in parking charges and £150 in fuel.
What are my options with BA? There are no trains, car hire is ridiculous rates!
My only option is to drive down to LHR and leave my car but that will end up costing me £200 in parking charges and £150 in fuel.
Nov 21, 2021, 4:11 am
#2
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Hi,
I was going to suggest , get BA or your ticker issuer to reroute you LHR-EDI or LHR-GLA but then you would still need to hire a car and there is only 1 flight on Christmas day to EDI ( 0950) and GLA ( 0735) which probably will not tie in with your arrival from the USA ( unless it is a very early arrival to LHR)
Regards
TBS
I was going to suggest , get BA or your ticker issuer to reroute you LHR-EDI or LHR-GLA but then you would still need to hire a car and there is only 1 flight on Christmas day to EDI ( 0950) and GLA ( 0735) which probably will not tie in with your arrival from the USA ( unless it is a very early arrival to LHR)
Regards
TBS
Nov 21, 2021, 4:35 am
#4
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Hi,
I was going to suggest , get BA or your ticker issuer to reroute you LHR-EDI or LHR-GLA but then you would still need to hire a car and there is only 1 flight on Christmas day to EDI ( 0950) and GLA ( 0735) which probably will not tie in with your arrival from the USA ( unless it is a very early arrival to LHR)
Regards
TBS
I was going to suggest , get BA or your ticker issuer to reroute you LHR-EDI or LHR-GLA but then you would still need to hire a car and there is only 1 flight on Christmas day to EDI ( 0950) and GLA ( 0735) which probably will not tie in with your arrival from the USA ( unless it is a very early arrival to LHR)
Regards
TBS
Can I ask BA to pay for my fuel and parking if I take my car?
Nov 21, 2021, 4:46 am
#5
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What they will offer is the EDI rebooking or a hotel in LHR. They may allow car hire or parking as a gesture, claimed after travel, but I wouldn't assume you will get it for sure. They may look at rebooking options to arrive back in the UK on Christmas Eve instead. They may also contribute £50 for the EDI-NCL taxi fare, I can see it may be a bit cheaper than the car parking if pre-booked.
Nov 21, 2021, 4:46 am
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Nov 21, 2021, 4:52 am
#7
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Flying to EDI and getting a taxi home is an option. Will they allow that? But a 130 mile Taxi on Christmas day will set them back more than £50. I would say more like £300-400.
Nov 21, 2021, 6:22 am
#10
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BA cap taxis at £50 in my experience and they generally refuse car hire costs flat out. Car parking they may cover with a protracted flight but your estimated fuel costs will also be a 'no can do'.
To get the taxi cost covered you are almost certainly looking at MCOL. BA may very well defend the claim at such a high level and there has to be a level of reasonableness if you want to be certain of winning. Has anything at all been offered in terms of rerouting? I'm almost certain their preference is going to be to get you into LHR as early as possible and put you on a National Express coach at T5. They are not going to compensate you for missing Christmas day unfortunately, just get you to your final destination as reasonably as practicable following the cancellation. A judge may agree a £50 coach more appropriate than £580 cab even if you get there a few hours later. Its the same reason you can't reroute by private jet or charter a helicopter. Would capping the cost at the hotel room they owe you under duty of care until the next available flight be reasonable?
All of this will be further complicated by Cathy being involved as your travel agent and party to any court claim you bring.
Personally I would accept that by departing the USA on the 24th there is always going to the potential for issues on 25th itself with very limited back up travel options and those which are available will be expensive. If you can drive either by one way hire car or your own do it and try to get something back off them but I would expect a fight and to only be paid out on for what I have a receipt for. I wouldn't have the stomach to pay a cab driver nearly £600 and take BA to court to try and win it back again. Minimise your losses.
To get the taxi cost covered you are almost certainly looking at MCOL. BA may very well defend the claim at such a high level and there has to be a level of reasonableness if you want to be certain of winning. Has anything at all been offered in terms of rerouting? I'm almost certain their preference is going to be to get you into LHR as early as possible and put you on a National Express coach at T5. They are not going to compensate you for missing Christmas day unfortunately, just get you to your final destination as reasonably as practicable following the cancellation. A judge may agree a £50 coach more appropriate than £580 cab even if you get there a few hours later. Its the same reason you can't reroute by private jet or charter a helicopter. Would capping the cost at the hotel room they owe you under duty of care until the next available flight be reasonable?
All of this will be further complicated by Cathy being involved as your travel agent and party to any court claim you bring.
Personally I would accept that by departing the USA on the 24th there is always going to the potential for issues on 25th itself with very limited back up travel options and those which are available will be expensive. If you can drive either by one way hire car or your own do it and try to get something back off them but I would expect a fight and to only be paid out on for what I have a receipt for. I wouldn't have the stomach to pay a cab driver nearly £600 and take BA to court to try and win it back again. Minimise your losses.
Nov 21, 2021, 6:23 am
#11
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I guess my question is do I have any legal rights or can they insist on putting me in a hotel for 24hrs on Christmas day and then a flight the next day.
Also no flights available on the 23rd on my routing. Sold out solid! 22d also has me 24hrs in LHR due to flights being sold out.
Nov 21, 2021, 6:38 am
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But my question is would BA pay for that? If not it doesn't make sense for me as driving LHRt to Newcastle would be quicker. 4.5hrs non stop rather than via EDI and then 2.5hrs drive.
I guess my question is do I have any legal rights or can they insist on putting me in a hotel for 24hrs on Christmas day and then a flight the next day.
Also no flights available on the 23rd on my routing. Sold out solid! 22d also has me 24hrs in LHR due to flights being sold out.
I guess my question is do I have any legal rights or can they insist on putting me in a hotel for 24hrs on Christmas day and then a flight the next day.
Also no flights available on the 23rd on my routing. Sold out solid! 22d also has me 24hrs in LHR due to flights being sold out.
The lack of alternative travel options in the UK on Christmas day and boxing day are why I never plan travel in the UK on christmas day or boxing day other than in my own car
Nov 21, 2021, 6:39 am
#15
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Leave your car in EDI? Parking there is a lot cheaper than London, even if it involves driving to EDI before your trip, and taking the train back to Newcastle ahead of your travels to Asia.